Some politicians helped Daud spread crime web

Another aide to the mafia don arrested
Detectives have found some political leaders and influential people in Bangladesh to have close relations with international mafia don Daud Ibrahim.
The police suspect the influential people maintain close link with Daud to get his support in expanding their businesses in Dubai, a stronghold of the Mumbai-based mafia don.
“The names of a number of political leaders and influential people surfaced during interrogation of two detained accomplices of Daud. We’re now verifying what kinds of relations they maintain with him,” Deputy Commissioner (DC) Monirul Islam of Detective Branch (DB) told The Daily Star.
He however refused to reveal the names and identities of the influential people at this stage of investigation.
Meanwhile, the detectives arrested another accomplice of Daud Indian national Arif Hossain at Krishi Market in Mohammadpur in the city Saturday night.
The police have so far arrested three of Daud’s accomplices since May 27 who are either convicted or accused in criminal cases including for murders.
The police claim they came to Bangladesh to accomplish the gang’s long-term assignment, but the arrestees say they were just hiding here.
DB sources say the arrested Indian criminals came to Bangladesh at the directive of Chhota Shakil, who is next to Daud Ibrahim. The sources add Shakil handles his network in Bangladesh over cellphone so tactfully that his operatives here even don’t know each other.
ARREST OF ARIF
A DB team raided the Krishi Market area after squeezing information out of detained Abdul Rauf Daud Merchant and Zahid Sheikh and arrested Arif.
During interrogation at the DB office on Minto Road, Arif said Chhota Shakil sent him Tk 1.5 lakh through Western Union last week to provide legal support to Rauf and Zahid, sources say.
The sources also say Shakil was keeping regular contact with Arif over cellphone to discuss means to free Rauf and Zahid on bail.
Arif was running a meat shop at Krishi Market since he came to Bangladesh and residing at a rented house in Mohammadpur Housing Society.
He told The Daily Star at the DB office that he is accused and arrested in connection with a murder in India. Sakil sent him to Bangladesh in 2001 as he was freed on bail in 2000 after serving around seven years behind bars.
“I received Tk 10,000 per month but after my marriage I am receiving Tk 16,000. In this country I was registered as a voter and was living here as a stranded Birhari.”
Arif admitted without hesitation that he and another gangster gunned down Amar Sohana Bhaskar Shethe in Mumbai in 1993 at the directive of Shakil as Shethe allegedly led the damage to the historic Babri Mosque.
He said he was arrested the same year in connection with that murder.
Arif married a Bangladeshi national and the couple has two daughters, he said, adding they are trying to settle in Bangladesh by becoming citizens on Shakil’s instruction.
REMAND
DB sources say they produced Adul Rauf, Zahid and their Bangladeshi host Kamal with a prayer for 10 days’ remand on completion of earlier eight-day remand yesterday.
The court however granted six days’ remand for Rauf and Zahid and another five days for Arif.
DB MEN THREATENED
DC Monirul said, “I got some ring from Indian cellphone numbers and an ADC received an SMS from a Bangladeshi cellphone number threatening him not to proceed with the matter of Daud Imrahim’s aides.”

Courtesy of The Daily Star